Amazing Store & Smoke Shop

Though I reside in California, I recently (end of July, beginning of August) went to New York to visit a number of friends who still live there. We were staying with friends who reside on the Upper West Side, very near 72^nd and Amsterdam. I needed to find a smoke shop in the area which would have a small glass pipe. Nothing fancy; the type of small glass piece, suitable for tobacco or other smoke-​ables, that any smoke shop should have in stock for $ 20 or less.
I entered the shop, and told the guy what I was looking for. He showed me a small glass pipe, of the type I was seeking, and told me that the price was $ 15.00. Always the shrewd bargainer, I asked if he had anything similar, for less.
Would you believe that this guy pulls out a CRACK PIPE, tries to hand it to me, and asks, «is THIS what you’re looking for?» I gave him the dirtiest look I could muster, told him, «No, sir, that is NOT what I am looking for,» and again reiterated my request. He ended up selling me the original pipe he’d shown me for $ 12.00… and then it broke a couple of days later.
Amazing rip-​off? Yes. Amazing micro-​aggression when the store owner profiles you as a crack-​user [despite presence of teeth, well-​fitting clothing, et cetera]? Check. Amazing Store & Smoke Shop? Not bloody likely.

Weird story. I left my friend’s place to go watch The Avengers. At first, we went to a bodega on 71^st because I wanted to buy a drink. A Welch’s grade soda, in fact. Unfortunately, they didn’t have it. I decided not to buy anything and departed. On my way to the movie theater, I saw this place and decided to give it a shot. I didn’t see any Welch’s at first glance but the guy at the counter looked eager to help me find what I wanted. I told him and he went searching in the nether-​regions of his soda-​fridge. I really felt like he was mining for gold, excavating deep in the fridge until he found one lone can of Welch’s. I wanted to nominate this guy for the Bodega Olympics or something… and if they don’t have one, I want to start one so he could be in it and win himself a medal in the Soda Fridge Easter Egg Hunt. An epic performance.